Talatayod pulls off stunner in First Gen

MANILA, Philippines - Fancied Dheo Talatayod battled back from an opening set setback and outsteadied No. 6 Diego Dimakiling in a gripping decider to eke out a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 victory and annex the boys’ 18-under crown in the First Gen/Juntaphil Metro Age Group tennis tournament at the Philippine Columbian Association courts last Sunday.

Talatayod, who also thwarted Kyle Parpan’s upset bid in the quarters, 7-6(3), 3-6, 13-11, faced another tough challenge from Dimakiling, who broke the former in the first set to prevail but lost his momentum in the face of the top-seeded bet’s sizzling comeback to equalize.

But Talatayod hung tough and won the marathon match that took almost three hours to finish, ending Dimakiling’s stirring run of reversals in the event presented by First Gen Corporation and sponsored by Smart Communications that included victories over second seed Betto Orendain and third ranked Alberto Villamor.

Sharing the spotlight was Akiko De Guzman, who copped the girls’ 18- and 16-under titles while teaming up with Regina Santiago for the 18-under doubles plum to emerge the winningest player in the weeklong event sanctioned by Philta, organized by Juntaphil and backed by Technifibre.

De Guzman overwhelmed Khrizelle Sampaton, 6-0, 6-3, in the 18-U final while holding off Ma. Angela Sunga, 6-0, 5-7, 7-5, to clinch the 16-U crown. With Santiago, they took the doubles title with a 6-0, 6-2 romp over Isabelle Mendoza and Samantha Coyiuto.

Dimakiling and Orendain, meanwhile, foiled Talatayod and Enrique Ferrer, 6-4, 4-6, 13-11, to snatch the boys’ 18-U doubles title. On hand during awards rites were Juntaphil president Edward Puno and Juntaphil chair Diana Barcelona.

No. 3 Eric Olivarez Jr. repulsed second seed Daniel Villasenor, 6-3, 6-2, to capture the boys’ 14-under title while third ranked Argil Lance Canizares turned back the fourth seeded Parpan, 2-6, 7-6(6), 6-1, for the boys’ 16-U plum.

Other winners were Michael Eala (10-unisex), Cenon Gonzales Jr. (boys’ 12-under), Frances Santiago (girls’ 12-under), Erika Manduriao (girls’ 14-under), Diego Dayrit and Marcus del Rosario (10-unisex doubles), Manduriao and Santiago (girls’ 14-U doubles) and Alberto Lim and Miguel dela Paz (boys’ 14-U doubles).